Behind the Scenes: Kirsty Burnham
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? Whereabouts do you live now?
I was born and grew up in London but I moved out of my family home six years ago and now live in Northamptonshire with my husband and our two daughters
How long have you been an estate agent for?
Nearly 14 years, although I left for two years after I had my second daughter.
How long have you worked for D&G? What’s the greatest thing about working for them?
I have worked for D&G for nearly 14 years. The company really look after their staff. Over the years my role has evolved to suit both the office and myself as I have become a mother and moved out of London.
What’s the funniest story you have from your time at Douglas & Gordon?
A colleague of mine was carrying out a viewing and the applicant insisted on taking his rather large dog into the property. The dog then decided the cowhide rug was the perfect place to do his business.
When you’re not in the office or showing people around, what do you do in your spare time? Any interesting hobbies we should know about?
I spend most of my spare time with my family. If I am not ferrying children around the countryside, we love anything that involves the outdoors – especially skiing.
What questions do you most commonly get asked by clients/customers?
I deal with the progression of files so the biggest question on vendors’ lips is ‘when are we going to exchange?’
What advice do you have for people looking to buy or rent in Battersea Park?
People so often miss out on a property they like because they hold back on offering. If a property is right for you, don’t wait to see if there is interest from other applicants before making an offer. The vendor usually looks most favourably at the first person to have put their foot forward.
What do you love about Battersea Park? What are your favourite hangouts? Where do you grab your coffee in the morning, or take a business lunch?
We have a number of great coffee shops and restaurants in the area but the park itself is the biggest draw for me. To have such an expanse of green and the river is a real bonus for those who live and work here.
What would you say to anyone looking to move into the area?
It’s a fantastic area to live with a broad range of property to choose from. Whether you are looking for a riverside property, mansion flat or Victorian house, you will find it here. For families you have the huge expanse of Battersea Park, and a hop over the bridge and you are on the Kings Road.
If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the property market, what would it be?
For clients and applicants to be upfront about their situations and timescales. If everyone was, it would be unlikely that sales would go wrong and most would go through far more quickly and with fewer complications.